Pulling Together

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as
better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an
interest in others, too.
Philippians 2:3–4

With the teachings of Christ and Paul as a backdrop, we are better able to understand and appreciate Peter’s comments about love and unity. Remember, he was writing to hurting people. They were scattered, many of them far from home (1 Peter 1:1). They were “distressed,” living in extreme situations (1:6). They were being “tested” by “various trials” (1:6–7). Some of them were running for their lives. With the madman Nero on the throne in Rome, it was a dangerous time to be a Christian. Some, no doubt, were tempted to conform, compromise, or give up altogether.

When people hurt—and we’ve all been there—it’s easy to get a little thin on love. But that’s what these people needed. They needed to pull together and support each other. They needed a community where they could find acceptance and unity. They needed to conduct themselves as members of the family of God.

Following his strong words encouraging fellow believers to live holy lives, Peter gives them a pep talk, explaining exactly how they have been freed to support each other. He says, in effect, “You have everything you need that makes it possible; you don’t have to live in lonely isolation.” Read his counsel carefully:

Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God. (1 Peter 1:22–23 NASB)

As we read Peter’s uplifting words, we see that he specifies three things that encourage mutual support. First, obedience to the truth. Second, purity of soul. Third, a lack of hypocrisy.

Being obedient to the truth means that we don’t have to look at others through the distorted lenses of our own biases. We can see them as God sees them and love them as He loves them. This has a purifying effect on us. It purges us, not only from a limited perspective, but from prejudice, resentment, hurt feelings, and grudges. Such purity of soul helps us love each other without hypocrisy and with a sincere love. It doesn’t blind us to each other’s faults; it gives us the grace to overlook them.